Comestible slicing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Slicing apparatus having a magazine with upright product receptacles for carrying comestible workbodies in a circular path past a rotating knife in a table recess to sever slices from the bottom of workbodies, product followers slidable on receptacle guides to urge workbodies toward the knife, table height adjustment for controlling the thickness of slices being severed, a fluid-pressure actuated ram for lifting the product followers, a unitary plastic or like guard for the knife, and knife sharpening apparatus carried by the guard.

United States Patent [191 Bettcher Jan. 1, 1974 [54] COMESTIBLE SLICING APPARATUS 3,428,l02 2/1969 Knecht et al. 83/703 X 2,398,230 4/1946 K ller 83/409.2 X [75] Invenm Batch", Amherst Ohm 1,769,594 7/1930 Nzgy 33/411 A [73] Assignee: Bettcher Industries, Inc.,

Birmingham, Ohio Primary Examiner-Willie G. Abercromble dt Jan- 5, 19 Att0rneyJames T. l-loffmann Appl. No.: 215,462

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 785,088, Dec. 19, 1968, Pat. No. 3,587,689, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 56l,l80, June 28, 1966, Pat. No. 3,434,519.

U.S. Cl. 83/l74.1, 83/409.2, 83/411 A, 83/703, 83/733 Int. Cl B26d 7/06, B26d 7/l2 Field of Search 83/l74.l, 409.1, 83/409.2, 411 R, 411 A, 703, 733, 425

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1967 Larrson 83/703 [57] ABSTRACT Slicing apparatus having a magazine with upright product receptacles for carrying comestible workbodies in a circular path past a rotating knife in a table recess to sever slices from the bottom of workbodies, product followers slidable on receptacle guides to urge workbodies toward the knife, table height adjustment for controlling the thickness of slices being severed, a fluid-pressure actuated ram for lifting the product followers, a unitary plastic or like guard for the knife, and knife sharpening apparatus carried by the guard.

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A T'TOENEYS COMESTIBLE SLICING APPARATUS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of copending US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 785,088, filed Dec. 19, 1968, which is a continuation-in-part of U. S. Pat. application, Ser. No. 561,180, filed June 28, 1966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,519.

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to comestible product cutters in which the product to be cut is moved over a cutter rotatable about a stationary vertical axis.

PRIOR ART Slicing apparatus of the general character to which the present invention is known, as illustrated by US. Pat. No. 3,434,519. The various parts of apparatus of this character, such'as the magazine, knife guard, knife, etc. must be readily disassemblable for cleaning, and devices for sharpening the knife should be readily available and convenient to operate.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides a novel and improved slicing apparatus comprising a movable magazine having upright receptacles for carrying comestible workbodies past a knife rotating about a stationary vertical axis for cutting slices from the workbodies, an adjustable table for supporting the workbodies, except while they are being sliced, the vertical position of which controls the thickness of the slices being cut, in combination with a knife guard carried by the knife and/or its supporting mechanism without being fixedly secured to any part of the apparatus thus making it readily removable for cleaning and for providing access to the knife, etc.

The present invention also provides a novel and improved slicing apparatus of the character referred to having knife Sharpeners carried by the guard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a sectional view approximately on the line l-1 of FIG. 2, of slicing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view approximately on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The slicing apparatus shown in the drawings, and designated generally by the reference character A, is generally similar to that shown in the aforesaid US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 561,180, except for the differences hereinafter referred to, and only those parts of the apparatus necessary for an understanding of the present invention are herein shown and described.

The slicing apparatus shown comprises a stationary base B having fixedly secured to its upper part 22 a vertically extending tubular member 24 upon the exterior of which a workbody supporting table 26, having a downwardly extending tubular boss 28, is supported for vertical adjustment by means of a hand wheel 30 threaded onto an upwardly projecting threaded member 32 fixed to the top of the part 22 of the base B and against the upper part of which hand wheel the lower end of a tubular member 34 fixed to the under side of the table 26 abuts.

The product magazine assembly M comprises a circular base plate 40 having a central supporting hub 42 and one or more openings 43, in the present instance three, through which a workbody in receptacles R, of which there are three, on the plate 40, can pass downward through the plate, rest upon the table 26, and be carried across the rotary knife assembly K upon rotation of the magazine. A rigid connecting member 48 is secured to the upper ends of the receptacles R to main tain them in spaced relationship and in proper alignment.

The receptacles R are constructed to slidably support a workbody in an upright position, to accommodate a workbody follower or biasing member F, and to utilize the inertia of the workbody follower to exert downward force upon the workbody when the receptacle is rotated.

Each receptacle R is formed of a sheet metal member 52 shaped to form generally flat vertical wall segments 54, 56, 58, jointed by curved wall segments 60, 62. The wall segment 58 is shorter than the segment 54, and is located adjacent the periphery of the plate 40. The included angle between the wall segments 54, 56 is acute and the included angle between the wall segments 56, 58 in obtuse. The wall segments 54, S8 terminate in outwardly extending flanges 66, 68 that lie in a common plane and form a longitudinal opening to the receptacle. The flanges 66, 68 of the receptacles R have parallel outer edges and form guides for the workbody followers F.

The receptacles R are positioned at the trailing edges (relative to their direction of movement) of the openings 44 in the plate 40. The openings 44 are substantially larger than the cross sectional area of the receptacles, extending beyond the longitudinal opening of the respective receptacle associated therewith so that a workbody of greater horizontal depth than the receptacle can be accommodated. Each receptacle R is inclined down and back'relative to its direction of the rotation and the plane of the plate 40, and 15 from the vertical, preferably 2 to 3. In operation the receptacle guides a workbody and a workbody follower in a downward, slightly inclined direction.

The workbody follower or biasing members F comprise a plate 70 with parallel guides 72, 74 along opposite side edges, and an angularly related member 76 constructed to extend into the receptacle and to overlie the workbody. The members 76 are inclined in an upward and inward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the receptacle at a suitable angle, preferably about 5, and carries downwardly extending spikes 78 to engage an upper surface of a workbody in the receptacle. The spikes-78, preferably extend at right angles to the plane of the member 76, and with the angular orientation of the member 76 effectively resists forward tipping of the upper end of the workbody when the lower end strikes the knife K. The spikes are also positioned so that they do not tear the workbody and that those farthest from the member 70 extend into the workbody to a lesser extent than those nearest the plate, reducing the amount of contact between the spikes and the workbody and facilitating removal of the spikes from the remnant of a workbody after the slicing operation is finished. In addition to the weight of the followers the inclination of the flanges along which they slide tends to drive the follower downward when the magazine assembly M is rotated and if contact of the workbody with the knife K tends to lift the workbody in a vertical direction, the effective lifting force upon the workbody follower is reduced due to the inclination of the guides.

A projection 80 extends generally horizontally from the side of each of the plates 70 adjacent the guides 72 which projection can be engaged by a member 82 of a power-actuated lifting mechanism L to raise the workbody followers F to facilitate loading or unloading the receptacles. This is in addition to the provision of the handles 84 for lifting the workbody followers individually. The member 82 is secured to the upper end of a rod or ram 86 slidably received in the upper end of a tubular shaft 90 rotatably supported in suitable bearings in the member 24. The lower end of the shaft or rod 86 rests upon the upper end of an extended piston rod 92 ofa fluid pressure, reciprocating-type motor 94, the cylinder of which is pivotally connected to the base of the apparatus.

The upper end of the piston rod 92 extends through a gear 100 fixedly secured to the lower end of the shaft 90 and continuously in mesh with an idling gear 102 which in turn meshes with a gear 104 fixed to a shaft 106 which shaft is connected by a coupler 108 and a gear reducer 110 to an electric motor 112 in the base of the apparatus.

The upper end of the tubular shaft 90 has a collar 116 fixed thereto so that it rotates with the shaft. The collar is supported on the upper end of the member 24 by suitable bearing members. The plate 40 of the magazine M is supported on the upper end of the collar 116 to which it is keyed so as to rotate with the collar. The construction is such that the magazine M, together with the member 82 and the shaft 86 connected thereto, can be lifted and if desired readily removed from the rest of the apparatus for cleaning, etc.

The shaft 106 to which the gear 104 is fixed projects upwardly through the gear and is rotatably supported by suitable bearing members in a tubular member 120 fixed in the upper part 22 of the base A and projecting upwardly therefrom. In the present instance the knife K is bolted to the upper side of a collar member 122 fixed to the shaft 106 adjacent to its upper end. The collar member 122 rests upon and is supported on the upper end of the member 120 by a suitable bearing or thrust member locatedbetween the lower side thereof and the upper end of the member 120.

In the present instance the knife K comprises a disklike member 130 having a recess 132 in its upper side terminating in an annular wall 134 extending axially of the shaft 106. The periphery of the knife K is partially inset into an arcuate opening 140 in the table 40 which opening terminates in a straight edge or side 142 at the place where the product being sliced engages the knife.

In the present invention the knife K is provided with a unitary guard G resting upon and supported by the knife. The guard G comprises a crescent-shaped portion or part 1'48 having a downwardly extending arcuate flange 150 along its convex edge the-inner wall'152 of which extends around and protects that portion of the periphery of the. knife which is not underneath the table 40. Immediately at the inner side of'the flange the guard is provided with a shallow, arcuate groove 154, the width of which is preferably such that the guard G rests upon the upper side of the knife K about one-quarter of an inch inwardly of its cutting edge. At its center the guard is provided with a downwardly facing recess into which a suitable bearing ring is pressed with a force fit and by which the guard is centered on the upper end of the shaft 106. Preferably there is a small clearance between the upper end of the shaft 106 and the underside of the guard so that the guard rests upon the knife. The upper side of the knife outwardly of the recess 132 is preferably undercut or recessed at an angle of about 1 or 2 towards its center of rotation to improve the cutting action of the cutting edge of the knife. The upper side of the guard G has an arcuate cutout portion which forms an arcuate concave wall 158 spaced from but conforming essentially to the circumference of the plate 40. The upper surface of that portion of the guard which is beneath the magazine M is flush with the upper surface of the knife K at the arcuate wall 152 so that the product being sliced will slide smoothly from the knife to the guard and back over the knife. The guard is preferably made of a suitable nontoxic or edible plastic, for example, an acrylonitrile-bulodine-styrene copolmer or Nylon. The use of such a plastic is particulary advantageous as they are nonporous, will not absorb bacteria, are highly resistant to acids and alkalines, have a clean appearance, becomes white with age, have adequate weight to ridge properly on the knife, do not warp or bend, have low coeficients of friction, are easily cleaned, and are poor conductors of heat which is advantageous in apparatus used to slice frozen products.

Both the magazine M and the knife K are rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2. The guard G has a tendency to rotate with the knife but such rotation is limited or prevented by the engagement of a stop S against the periphery of the vertically adjustable table or member 26. The stop S shown is in the form of a rectangular boss preferably formed as an integral part of the guard G and projecting downwardly from the underside of the leading end of the flange 150, referring to the direction of rotation of the knife K. The stop S extends down from the flange 150 a distance to accommodate or provide for' the full vertical adjustment of the table 26. The stop S is so positioned that during operation the arcuate surface 158 of the guard G is maintained close to the periphery of the rotating member 40 of the magazine M without riding thereon. The stop S can be omitted, if desired. It will also be apparent that the boss 154 can be omitted if the guard is to be used with a knife assembly having a planar top surface.

In the preferred embodiment, the guard G is provided with or carries a knife sharpening assembly, designated generally as T, and having two grinding wheels U and W located in an aperture 160 in the periphery of the guard G in position to be selectively engaged with opposite bottom and top sides of the peripheral cutting edge of the knife K. The grinding wheels are supported in a member 162 which bridges the aperture 160 in the periphery of the guard and which is detachably connected to the guard at opposite ends of the aperture 1.60 as-by suitable double-ended stud fasteners extending downwardly through the guard. into suitably tapped apertures opening in the top surface of the member 1162. Alternatively the member 162 can be molded as an integral part of the guard.

Grinding wheel U is of the straight cup-type or shape and is detachably fixed to the upper end of a shaft 166 rotatably supported by suitable bearings in a portion 168 of the member 162 which is inclined so that the working face of the grinding wheels is at the proper angle to grind the underside of the cutting edge of the knife K when the wheel is engaged thereagainst. The shaft 166 is normally urged in a direction away from the knife K by a compression spring 170 interposed between a disk bearing abutting against the side of the adjoining side of the lower bearing for the shaft 166 and a hand crank 172 detachably fixed to the lower end of the shaft 166.

The grinding or hone wheel W, which is employed to sharpen the upper side of the cutting edge of the knife K is of the disk-type with the recess side facing the upper side of the knife K. The wheel W is rotatably connected to the upper end of a shaft or plunger 180 slidably keyed in a suitable bearing 182 and is continuously urged or biased in a direction away from the upper side of the knife K by a compression spring 185 in a counterbore opening into the upper end of a bearing 182 and interposed between the lower end of a sleeve 186 surrounding the upper part of the shaft 180 and the bottom of the counterbore. The upper or opposite end of the collar or sleeve 186 engages a shield 192 which prevents the entrance of foreign material into the upper end of the bearing member 182. The lower end of the shaft 180 is provided with a knob 194 detachably fixed thereto for manual movement of the wheel W into engagement with the upper side of the cutting edge of the knife K.

When it is desired to have or grind the lower side of the cutting edge of the knife K the handle 172 is manually pushed so as to engage the working face of the wheel U with the cutting edge of the knife K and the wheel is rotated by the crank handle 172 to engage different parts of the working surface of the wheel with the cutting edge of the knife. When it is desired to hone or grind the upper side of the cutting edge of the knife, the hand grasp or knob 194 is pulled by the operator in a downwardly direction to engage the working face of the grinding wheel W with the upper edge of the cutting edge of the knife K. Engagement of the wheel against the knife K will cause it to rotate on the upper end of the shaft 180. The knife sharpening tools or wheels U, W are preferably of the abrasive grit-type but either or both of the wheels may be made of other material, for example, steel.

When the sharpening assembly T is not in use the upper end of the aperture in the guard G is preferably closed by a movable shield 196 detachably secured to the upper side of the guard by wing nuts or the like threaded onto theupper end of the fasteners which secure the housing or support member 162 of the sharpening assembly T to the underside of the guard. The shield 196 is preferably made of a suitable transparent material such as clear Plexaglas.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be apparent that the objects heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that there has been provideda novel and improved slicing machine for comestible workbodies and having a knife rotatable about a vertical axis in combination with a guard which bears upon the knife without being fixedly secured thereto and which can be readily removed with or without the removal of other parts of the machine for the purpose of cleaning, etc. It will also be apparent that the knife sharpening assembly which, as shown, is detachably connected to the guard, can be removed from the guard for cleaning and other servicing. The guard may be furnished without the knife sharpening assembly in which event the cutout portion of the aperture in which the grinding wheels are located could be omitted.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, the invention is not limited to the construction shown and/or described but may be incorporated in other apparatus and it is the intention to hereby cover all adaptations, modifications and use of the invention which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which it pertains and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody and having a workbody carrier with an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly including a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife for engagement by the projecting end of the workbody, and a guard for the knife comprising: a member having a crescent-shaped portion, said member being adapted to rest upon and be supported by the knife assembly with the arcuate concave peripheral side of its crescent-shaped portion encompassing a portion of the periphery of the workbody carrier overlying the knife.

2. A cutting apparatus according to claim 1, the guard of which has a downwardly extending flange adjacent its peripheral convex side encompassing the periphery of the knife not overlayed by the workbody carrier.

3. A cutting apparatus according to claim 1 in which the knife has a circular depression in its upper side coaxial with its axis of rotation and the guard has a boss on its underside projecting in said depression.

4. Cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody comprising a workbody carrier having an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly comprising a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the opening at the lower side of the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife, and a guard member for the knife-resting on and carried by the rotary knife assembly and overlying at least the peripheral part of the knife outwardly of the workbody carrier.

5. Cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody comprising a workbody carrier having an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly comprising a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the opening at the lower side of the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife, and a guard member for the knife resting on and carried by the rotary knife assembly.

6. A cutting apparatus according to claim in which the portion of the guard member encompassing the portion of the workbody carrier has a rectilinear portion substantially spaced from the cutting edge of the knife through which slices severed from the workbody drop.

7. Cutting apparatus according to claim 5 characterized by a stationary workbody support, a rotary knife assembly, and a rotatable workbody carrier.

8. A cutting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the guard member is made of Nylon.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard member.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard member.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard cutter. 

1. In a cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody and having a workbody carrier with an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly including a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife for engagement by the projecting end of the workbody, and a guard for the knife comprising: a member having a crescent-shaped portion, said member being adapted to rest upon and be supported by the knife assembly with the arcuate cOncave peripheral side of its crescent-shaped portion encompassing a portion of the periphery of the workbody carrier overlying the knife.
 2. A cutting apparatus according to claim 1, the guard of which has a downwardly extending flange adjacent its peripheral convex side encompassing the periphery of the knife not overlayed by the workbody carrier.
 3. A cutting apparatus according to claim 1 in which the knife has a circular depression in its upper side coaxial with its axis of rotation and the guard has a boss on its underside projecting in said depression.
 4. Cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody comprising a workbody carrier having an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly comprising a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the opening at the lower side of the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife, and a guard member for the knife resting on and carried by the rotary knife assembly and overlying at least the peripheral part of the knife outwardly of the workbody carrier.
 5. Cutting apparatus for severing slices from a comestible workbody comprising a workbody carrier having an upright receptacle for the workbody and an opening on the lower side through which the workbody can project, a rotary knife assembly comprising a circular knife below a part of the workbody carrier, means for effecting relative rotary movement between the knife and the workbody carrier about offset substantially vertical axes so that the knife and the workbody carrier repeatedly move past one another to sever the end of the workbody projecting downwardly through the opening at the lower side of the workbody carrier, a workbody support below the part of the workbody carrier which does not overlie the knife, and a guard member for the knife resting on and carried by the rotary knife assembly.
 6. A cutting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the portion of the guard member encompassing the portion of the workbody carrier has a rectilinear portion substantially spaced from the cutting edge of the knife through which slices severed from the workbody drop.
 7. Cutting apparatus according to claim 5 characterized by a stationary workbody support, a rotary knife assembly, and a rotatable workbody carrier.
 8. A cutting apparatus according to claim 5 in which the guard member is made of Nylon.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard member.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard member.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 having a knife sharpening means carried by the guard cutter. 